Leave Me Paralyzed, Love
by mydearestgirl
Summary: When Ellen asked for a chance to defend herself against the dangers of the world, she never imagined it would be like this. Now her focus is on one thing- survival. If she could only figure out the enigma that is Daryl Dixon, survival might not be so difficult.
1. Chapter 1: Begin Again

The Walking Dead Story: _Leave Me Paralyzed, Love_

**Disclaimer**: I don't plan on keeping directly to the storyline or script from the television series. I don't own TWD or any of its characters. I only own my OFC, Ellen. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 1: _Begin Again_

"DAD!" Maggie's call could be heard throughout the small plantation home. Ellen heard her all the way from the upstairs bedroom. She didn't think much of it until she registered that Maggie's cries were becoming more urgent.

Ellen swept from the room, scrambling down the stairs to meet the rest of the family. Maggie's father, Hershel, opened the screen door to check out the scene in his yard. Maggie followed her father out to assess the situation. The door shut behind them with a 'clack'.

Ellen was left at the foot of the stairs in the hallway with Patricia, Beth, and Jimmy. Patricia anxiously shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Knowing Patricia's husband was out hunting, Ellen understood her discomfort.

Hershel called from the porch, "Patricia! Ellen!"

The two women responded immediately, Ellen leading the way out to the front of the house. The first thing they saw was a disheveled man carrying a bleeding boy in his arms. Ellen's expression became serious and she went into full autopilot. She asked the man, "Was he bitten?"

The man shook his head, "No, he was shot- by one of your men."

Ellen could only nod and retract her eyes from the man, redirecting them towards the injured boy. Hershel had given Patricia instructions to bring the boy to an upstairs bedroom where they could operate and hopefully remove the bullet. Ellen followed Patricia back into the house to gather the appropriate supplies for the procedure as the man, who Ellen assumed was the father, brought the injured boy into the upstairs bedroom.

Ellen entered the room with surgical supplies, including IV bags and other medications Maggie had been gathering for her. Ellen stepped toward the bed where Hershel and the man were looking over the boy. Ellen instructed the man, "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to step back. We need room to work now."

The man nodded, stepping back hesitantly. He couldn't take his eyes off the boy.

Hershel asked him, "Your name?"

The man was dazed for a moment, but responded. "Rick. I-I'm Rick."

Ellen stepped in, guiding the man back to the corner of the room away from the bed. "Rick, are you the boy's father?"

Rick nodded, continuing to watch Hershel's swift movements as he directed Patricia to begin the IV infusion. Ellen placed her hand on Rick's shoulder. "Rick, look at me."

After registering the command, he obeyed and looked Ellen in the eye with a pleading expression. She continued, "We are going to do everything we can for your boy. But right now you need to stand back, alright?"

Rick nodded again, bringing his gaze back to his boy and the people working around him. Ellen backed away from him and joined the rest of the family in assisting Hershel with the boy's care.

The boy, who Ellen discovered was named Carl, ended up needing a blood transfusion. Rick happened to be the same blood type as his son, so Ellen set up the transfusion. She monitored both the boy and his father as one donated blood to the other.

Her care was interrupted by the sound of another man hollering outside. Otis, Patricia's husband, had returned to the house with this stranger. Rick claimed the man was his friend, and Otis explained that he had accidentally shot Carl while tracking a deer in the forest. The new man, who was named Shane, effectively calmed Rick when he explained how he needed his wife there with him and Carl. Ellen stayed in the room with Carl, monitoring his progress.

Ellen began to notice during her assessments that Carl's abdomen was becoming distended. She immediately called for Hershel, and he sighed, "We're going to have to operate. I'll tell Rick."

Ellen stayed with Carl when Hershel left the room to explain the situation to Rick. They would need intubation equipment in order to make sure Carl kept breathing during the operation. He wouldn't be able to breath on his own with the sedation.

Patricia was the next person to enter the room to check on Carl some time later. She explained that Shane had volunteered to go to the high school to gather the intubation equipment needed for the operation. The high school had a FEMA shelter that would likely have medical supplies.

Patricia nearly began sobbing when she began explaining that her husband, Otis, had volunteered to go with Shane to the high school. Otis knew what the equipment looked like because he was a volunteer EMT. Patricia was already worried sick about them entering the abandoned campus. Ellen tried calming her, saying that Otis had to come back. He would come back for Carl's sake. They needed that equipment.

Maggie had been sent out to find Rick's wife Lori. Ellen knew Maggie had returned when a strange woman entered the room only to stare at Carl and burst into tears. Rick immediately moved towards the woman, Lori, so that he could embrace her.

Ellen made to stand up from her chair and leave the couple in the room with their son, but Lori stopped her. "No, please. Stay. Carl needs you. We all do."

Ellen gave a small smile and nodded in affirmation, turning her body towards the other end of the room to give them as much privacy in their grief as possible.

When Lori had calmed down, she turned her attention to Ellen, "Are you a doctor too?"

Ellen smiled and shook her head, "No, I'm a nurse. I was a new grad when this all happened." Ellen inclined her hand to the space in front of her, indicating the world in general.

Rick asked, "Your father must be proud that you went into the medical field, what with him being a doctor."

Ellen was confused for a moment, wrapping her head around exactly who they were referring to. She smiled in realization, "Oh, Hershel isn't my father. I went to college with Maggie and I came straight here when the hospital was overrun. I didn't have family in the area close by. And, um- you should talk to Hershel. I'm sure he can explain the procedure more clearly to you."

Rick and Lori excused themselves to seek out Hershel. Ellen was grateful she wouldn't have to be the one to explain to these protective parents that their son was being treated by a veterinarian.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

Ellen was monitoring Carl's vital signs when an unfamiliar car pulled up to the front of the house. She could hear Maggie greeting the newcomers from outside. Rick and Lori were in the room with her, Lori on the edge of the bed with her boy and Rick in a chair nearby. He had been proclaiming all afternoon that he was ready and willing to do a third blood transfusion. Ellen knew this would put him in critical condition and she didn't want a second patient to deal with.

After a few minutes, two new faces stood in the doorway. Rick greeted them as Glenn and T-Dog. Glenn had removed his hat and was visibly floored by the scene in front of him. The most they could do for Rick and Lori was be there for them. And that is exactly what they told the couple they would do.

Glenn and T-Dog exited the room before Maggie, who motioned to Ellen that she needed her. Ellen sat up from her place in the corner chair and met Maggie in the hall. Maggie spoke first, "Hey, can you leave Patricia in there with the boy for a while? One of the newcomers has an infected wound on his arm."

Ellen agreed, "Sure, I'll be down in a minute. I just have to check in with Patricia." Ellen returned to Carl's room in search of Patricia, who she spoke to in hushed tones. She explained the situation with the infected wound to Patricia and asked her to stay with the boy and his parents. Patricia agreed.

Ellen met the others downstairs after she had gathered all of the supplies needed for stitching and cleaning a wound.

Hershel passed Ellen in the hall but stopped before rounding the corner. "Ellen, we may need to operate before Otis returns with the respirator. I'll talk to the boy's parents about their decision."

Ellen nodded. "I understand. I'll be downstairs if you need me."

Ellen entered the kitchen to find Maggie with T-Dog and Glenn. Maggie was boiling water on the stove, presumably for tea. Ellen's eyes immediately went to looking the two new men up and down. She saw T-Dog's makeshift dressing and registered it as the infected wound. She motioned for T-Dog to sit in a chair at the kitchen table and he obeyed.

Ellen worked quickly on the wound, removing the infected areas and cleansing its surface. She then stitched up the laceration, with T-Dog flinching in his seat. She then redressed the wound and wrapped it appropriately. T-Dog thanked her and took the antibiotics Ellen instructed.

They were good men, T-Dog and Glenn. She talked to them while she worked and they kindly inquired after Carl's care. After she explained the situation to them the room got very quiet. The world was already so uncertain without the added stress of a boy's life on the line.

Patricia entered the kitchen area quickly, reporting to Ellen that Carl had just been awake and speaking. He then went into a seizure and passed out.

"I'll go up now. Do you mind if I clean this up later?" Ellen motioned towards the supplies on the kitchen table.

Patricia shook her head, "Don't worry, I'll do it. Just get up there."

Ellen made it to the upstairs bedroom just as Hershel finished assessing Carl. He explained to Lori and Rick that Carl would slip away if they did not act soon. They would need to make a decision about the surgery.

Rick looked to his wife for a decision, and she agreed to the operation.

Hershel instructed Ellen immediately, "Get the sterile field ready. We need to make this fast."

Ellen rushed out of the room to gather the supplies. She yelled for Patricia and Maggie as she entered the supply room. They met her in the room as she gathered the operating equipment and Maggie grabbed a table for the operation.

Once in Carl's room again, the family formed a lift team to transfer Carl from the bed to the table. Patricia brought over an extra light, removing the lampshade. Ellen prepared warm washcloths for the operation with a bowl of water.

Hershel instructed the couple, "Rick, Lori- you may want to step out."

Rick turned his attention to the window before leaving the room with his wife. He made his way toward it, pushing back the curtain with a sigh of relief. Otis's truck had pulled up to the driveway.

Rick and Lori dashed out of the room. Hershel instructed Patricia to stay with Carl as he left the room right behind the two parents. Maggie followed after her father. Whereas Ellen stayed with Patricia, preferring to monitor Carl herself.

Maggie and Hershel returned with the respirator equipment and they began the procedure. Ellen continually monitored Carl's respiratory status while he was sedated, while Maggie put herself in charge of containing the blood during the operation. Patricia helped Hershel throughout the operation by handing him the tools he needed to make the procedure run smoothly.

After the operation had been successfully completed and each piece of the bullet had been removed without causing too much damage to the affected artery, Ellen administered more pain medication. Carl was transferred back onto the bed from his place on the makeshift operating table. Ellen called Lori and Rick into the room once Carl was resting in the bed. She stayed with them while they watched their son sleep. Ellen knew her presence would be a comfort to them, knowing she was there to watch out for Carl's wellbeing during these precious moments.

Carl had been stabilized and this made the whole house feel more at peace. Ellen stepped out of the room at one point, following Rick out of the room to gather glasses of water for herself and Lori. This left Lori in the room by herself for a few minutes with Carl.

Ellen made her way back up the stairs with two glasses of fresh water only to find the man who had gone with Otis, Shane, making his way down the hall from Carl's room. Maggie had informed Ellen while in the kitchen that Otis had not made it back safely. He was killed by a pack of those flesh-eating creatures.

Shane made eye contact with Ellen for a moment and inclined his head towards her in acknowledgment. Then the moment was over and Shane sidestepped past her to make his way down the stairs. Ellen felt a strange sensation of fear spread its way up and down her spine as he left her. Shane's very presence made her question the safety of the farm.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

The next morning, Ellen was in the room with Lori and Carl. She explained to Lori that Carl was in a stable condition and he should wake up soon. Lori nodded, "I understand. But I would still feel a lot better if you stayed here with us. I don't know how to tell if Carl takes a turn for the worst. You'll be able to tell more quickly than I will."

Ellen agreed to spend more time with Lori and Carl until he woke up on his own. This made Lori feel much more secure about her son's fate.

Ellen sat in the corner of the room reading a novel from Patricia's collection of classics. Her reading was interrupted by the sound of a loudly sputtering motor. Ellen got up to push the curtains away, revealing the scene bellow her. Rick and the rest of his group were helping Beth, Jimmy, and Maggie gather stones into wheelbarrows for Otis's funeral. They had stopped their work to look out farther up the road. Ellen followed their gaze to see a convoy of people approaching the house. The party included a motorcycle, hatchback SUV, and RV.

Ellen looked to Lori, who gave her approval, "If they're here you should go down and meet them. The rest of our group will be eager to know about Carl's improving condition."

Ellen replied, "Yell for me if you notice anything from Carl."

With that said, Ellen left the room to make her way down to the front of the house. Hershel passed her, going in to check on Carl again. Rick was close behind Hershel and he stopped to speak with Ellen. "My people just arrived. Tell them Carl is stable for us."

Ellen smiled, "Of course." Rick continued down the hall to Carl.

Ellen slowly made her way down the stairs to the main level. She was almost scared, and strangely hesitant to meet the rest of Rick's group. She hadn't met anyone new in a regular, nonlife-threatening situation since before the world changed. She had been with Hershel's family so long, with no outsiders. That was until Rick brought Carl to the care of the house.

Ellen brought her fingers to the wooden frame of the screen door. She took a deep breath, inhaling a delicious gulp of air, bringing courage to her shy nature. She stood a second in the doorway before pushing the screen open and walking out onto the porch. Ellen stopped on the top steps of the porch, watching the convoy of new arrivals as they stopped their vehicles near the house.

Ellen watched as they parked and unloaded out of the RV. Her attention was diverted to a man on a wild-looking motorcycle, which had been the source of the blaring motor. He was about ten yards away from the house, closest of all the vehicles. He stopped the beastly motor and kicked out the stand to prop up his bike. He hopped off the motorcycle and looked up to meet Ellen's eyes. Ellen made no movement to greet him or say anything of importance. Her hands grew clammy under his gaze, but she held it. That was, until Glenn walked up to the house from gathering stones with the others to greet him. "Daryl! How was the ride down?"

Ellen's heart jumped as Glenn's voice forced her back to the situation around her. She broke eye contact with the stranger and averted her gaze to Glenn.

The man with the motorcycle, Daryl, swung his arms a bit at his sides and bent over to look in his pack at the end of the bike. This motion removed his gaze from Ellen entirely and she was no longer at the mercy of his curious eyes.

"We're all safe, ain't we?" Daryl huffed back.

Rick and Lori came out onto the porch with T-Dog close behind. He must have gone to retrieve them.

An elderly man, who had exited the RV, was the first to address Rick and Lori. "How is he?"

Lori answered him, "He's going to pull through. Thanks to Hershel and his people."

"And Shane," Rick spoke up, "We'd have lost Carl if not for him."

Ellen led her gaze to Shane, who looked uncomfortable- both in Otis's oversized clothes and under the stare of the rest of his group. Ellen's hands swept over the support beam at the front of the porch. It gave her a sense of comfort to know that something strong and sturdy separated her from these unpredictable strangers.

The elderly man from the RV nodded at Rick's acknowledgement of Shane's contribution, and spread his arms out to embrace Rick. Rick returned the hug, and many others in the group followed suit. Hugs were exchanged between many members of the now reunited group. The man with the steel gaze, Daryl, stayed back while the others shared their relief.

The elderly man asked Rick how the accident had happened and Rick explained it had been a hunting accident.

Hershel stepped in to invite the group to join in Otis's funeral later in the afternoon. The group agreed, and Hershel turned to indicate the members of his household. "This is my family: Patricia, Otis's wife, my daughters Maggie and Beth, my nephew Jimmy, and Maggie's friend Ellen. If you need anything ask one of us and we'll lead you in the right direction."

Ellen didn't make a move of acknowledgement when her name was called. She kept her gaze trained on the view in front of her, which centered on Daryl's motorcycle. It was easier for her to ignore the fact that each stranger swept their eyes over her than to wave a hand in greeting. Eye contact had always been a complicated feat for her.

TWDTWDTWDTWDTWD

Later that day, Ellen found herself standing under the shade of large oak tree. The group had gathered there to form a circle around a large pile of rocks, serving as Otis's burial mound in the absence of a body. Each member of the family was allowed to bring forward an extra rock to add to the pile for Otis. Ellen was not sure if she should be one to place a rock for Otis. She was not technically part of the Greene family. But Hershel washed away Ellen's doubt when he called for her, "Ellen, it's your turn. For Otis."

Ellen nodded and walked forward, picking up a jagged, pearl gray rock from the extra pile. She made her way toward the burial mound slowly, placing her rock next to Beth's. Her hand hovered over the rock a few extra moments before she pulled away, knowing that this action was symbolic of more than just her hopes for Otis. She returned to her position in the circle of people, taking her place with her new family.

Hershel opened his Bible and read a few verses for Otis, and for the comfort of those he had left behind. He then asked Shane if he would speak for Otis. Shane seemed to have been knocked out of some very deep thoughts. He declined, but Patricia insisted knowing that Shane was the last one to have been with Otis. She wanted to know Otis's death had meaning.

Shane hesitated, but then began to describe the incident in detail. He told how Otis had insisted Shane go ahead, sacrificing himself in the process. Shane credited Otis for saving both himself and Otis. He hobbled forward on his injured leg to the wheelbarrow containing the extra stones and carefully placed one down for Otis. No one stopped him.

TWDTWDTWDTWD

After the funeral, Ellen went back to the house with Lori. Together they walked back up to check on Carl. Lori sat near Carl in a wooden chair, watching his chest rise and fall. Ellen made a thorough assessment of the boy before looking up at Lori, "He's fine. Just needs more rest. I'll check him out again in an hour or so."

Ellen sat back in her chair at the corner of the room, watching Lori take Carl's hand in her own. She stroked it tenderly. Lori then turned her attention back to Ellen, "You're welcome to take a break from this. I'll let someone know if Carl wakes up. I trust that you'll be back."

Ellen nodded, "Just call for someone if you need anything."

With that, Ellen left Lori to dote over her sleeping boy. Ellen left the house, heading out into the field where the new comers had set up a small camp. She stopped herself, wondering what exactly she was doing out here like this. Her attention was caught by a movement of people in the far end of the camp. Ellen recognized Maggie and Hershel with a group of others. Ellen figured Maggie would be a good buffer for her transition into a new group of people. Maggie had always recognized and aided Ellen in dealing with her lack of confidence. When it came to other people, Maggie was the social butterfly that broke the ice for both herself and Ellen. Ellen knew she could rely on her for this.

As Ellen approached, she noticed the small party was circled around the front end of a station wagon. They were hovered over something on the hood of the car, pointing out aspects of it. As she got closer, she realized it was a map of the area. Rick mentioned something about searching in teams around the area for a missing girl. Maggie heard Ellen's soft footfalls and turned to beckon her into the group. Ellen stood beside her and smiled in greeting.

Hershel insisted that both Rick and Shane were in no condition to go scouring the countryside.

Daryl answered, "Guess it's just me. I'm gonna head back to the creek, work my way from there."

Shane noted, "Well I can still be useful, head up the interstate- see if Sophia came back there."

Rick agreed, "Alright, tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right."

Shane interjected, "We can't have our people out there with just knives. They need the gun training we promised."

Rick nodded in agreement, but Hershel laid down the law, "I'd prefer you not carrying guns on my property. We've managed so far without turning this into an armed camp."

Shane answered for the group, "With all do respect, you get a crowd of those things wandering in here…" He broke off with a slight laugh.

Rick acknowledged Hershel's requirement, "This is your property, and we're guests here. And we will respect that." He pulled out his gun from it's side holster and placed it on the hood of the station wagon. Shane begrudgingly did the same.

Rick stated that first they would have to set up camp and go out to find Sophia. Shane asked what they should do if they find Sophia and she's been bitten.

"You do what has to be done," was Rick's response.

Maggie asked, "And her mother? What do you tell her?"

"The truth," was the answer from a blonde woman at Ellen's right.

Rick instructed that the weapons needed to be gathered and secured. Shane suggested that they take rifles off the farm for practice, and that a lookout be placed with a gun at all times.

Rick explained to Hershel, "Our people would feel safer- less inclined to carry a gun."

Hershel nodded in agreement and Rick thanked him for it.

Daryl and Shane turned to leave the pow wow by the car. Maggie asked Rick, "That stuff you brought, bandages and antibiotics, got any more of that?"

The blonde answered her, "Just what you've seen."

Maggie turned to Hershel, "We're short already, I should make a run into town." She explained how she had been to the pharmacy in town on her own before.

Rick motioned toward Glenn who was setting up a tent behind them, "See our man there, in the baseball hat? That's Glenn, our "go to town expert". I'd ask him along just to be cautious."

Hershel motioned for Maggie to do so with an incline of his head.

Ellen spoke up, "What about me? I'd like to help."

Rick met her gaze, "Don't you need to be with Carl?"

Ellen shook her head, "He's stable. And both Patricia and Hershel will be here if anything goes wrong. It won't take three people to monitor his recovery."

Rick accepted this, "What would you like to do, Ellen?"

"You have a missing girl. I can help look for her," Ellen answered.

Rick looked her up and down, "How much experience you got?"

"With searching for missing persons? None."

Rick smiled, "No. I meant with fighting for your life- surviving."

Ellen shrugged her shoulders; "I'd imagine my survival has been a bit less brutal than yours since the world ended."

Rick let out a small chuckle, "This isn't going to be easy, Ellen. You're asking to put yourself out there." He motioned toward the wilderness beyond the farm's borders. "It isn't safe."

Ellen shook her head, "But I'm willing to learn."

Rick let out an honest laugh, "Alright, well you can come along when we teach the others to shoot. You'll pick up some skills from that."

"Gun training won't bring that little girl back," Ellen countered.

"We'll find her none the less."

"Please, Rick! I-I need to do this, to do something! Give me an opportunity to learn how to take care of myself outside of the comfort of that farmhouse," Ellen pleaded.

Rick eyed her, "Why do you want this so bad?"

Ellen sighed, "If I can take care of myself then I can take care of others. I want to be prepared for that."

Hershel protested, "You know plenty for this world, Ellen. You're a skilled nurse."

"No, Hershel! That isn't enough. Nurse or not, I don't know how to defend myself from those creatures." Ellen looked toward Rick, "Please. All I'm asking for is a chance to better myself."

Rick hesitated for a moment before agreeing, "Alright. We'll see how willing Daryl is to bring you out with him."

"Daryl?" Ellen asked in disbelief.

Rick nodded, "You wanted an opportunity to survive for real. Daryl can give you that."


	2. Chapter 2: We Must Be Killers

**Chapter 2:**_We Must Be Killers_

**Blurb: **Hi! So I wanted to mention that the disclaimer still applies. Also, this story is titled after the song Consequence by Notwist. You could say that it's the theme song. Chapter one is named after the song Begin Again by Measure. Chapter two is named after We Must Be Killers by Mikky Ekko. Enjoy reading! I love feedback. :))

Needless to say, Daryl was not excited about the prospect of having Ellen as his shadow. "I ain't no babysitter!" This was his response to Rick's proposition.

Ellen felt completely out of her element with Daryl pointing and yelling harsh words her direction. Rick pulled Daryl aside to a spot a few extra feet away from where Ellen stood. She could still hear bits of their conversation from her point of vantage.

"Daryl, come on. She wants to learn how to survive out there. You're the best teacher we have right now with both Shane and me out of commission. Who knows, she might be of help to you." Rick hushed his voice so Ellen wouldn't have to hear.

Daryl huffed out a breath, "Ain't nothin' she can help with. Just be a nuisance." He eyed her with a narrowed expression.

"Give her a chance." Rick suggested.

Daryl lifted his chin in the air a bit before walking toward Ellen. He eyed her up and down, long and hard. "Can you defend yourself?"

Ellen hesitated, "Not very well…"

Daryl shook his head in exasperation, letting out a grunt. "You believe this shit?" He looked toward Rick, "You honestly want me to take this doe-eyed peach out there?"

Rick sighed, "If anyone can toughen her up, it's you."

"You got that right," Daryl answered roughly. Turning his attention back to Ellen, he lifted a demanding finger in her direction, "Ain't my fault if you get yourself killed out there! Or bit! I won't have nothin' to do with that. Ya hear?"

Ellen nodded, "Yes, of course."

Daryl shook his head in disgruntled disbelief, "Can't believe this. Ain't you got a kid that needs fixin' in there? Don't need you out in the woods playing survivor."

"Daryl, please." It was the first time she had ever addressed him by name and the words felt strange on her lips. "I'll do everything you tell me to do. I won't get in your way."

"Like hell!" Daryl paced around in the dirt with his hands on his head as he brewed over this predicament. He stopped in his tracks and turned to Ellen, "You stay near me at all times! And you best be ready when I call you, ya got that?"

Ellen agreed, "Promise."

Daryl sent one last disbelieving shake of his head in her direction before storming off, "Don't know what you're in for, princess!"

In all honesty, she agreed with him.

TWDTWDTWDTWDTWD

After a night of tossing and turning, Ellen was in less than optimal condition for survival in the wild. Her alarm woke her at six in the morning. Daryl hadn't specified a time for their departure, so Ellen wanted to be ready for him when he gave the word.

She set to work selecting an outfit fit for an outdoorswoman. It consisted of jeans, boots, and a tank top. It was too hot out for a jacket and that would just weigh her down.

When it came to weapons, Ellen was lost. She didn't even have a small knife handy. Hershel had always stressed that weapons were unnecessary on the farm. Being set apart from the horrors that surrounded the rest of the world was both a blessing and a curse. Ellen had nothing to show for her experiences in this post-apocalyptic world. Her lack of preparedness had to come to an end at some point, or it would be her downfall.

After brushing her hair up into a high ponytail, Ellen decided it was time to leave her room. She took a deep breath, collecting herself. She needed this experience, even if it killed her.

Knowing Patricia had been put in charge of Carl for the day, Ellen didn't stop to check on him. She went straight down the stairs and out the front door without looking back.

Ellen could see Daryl's tent at the edge of the property. He had decided to separate himself from the rest of the group. Why, Ellen didn't know. Perhaps he really did do everything on his own.

Ellen hesitated, unsure whether she should go back into the house and wait for Daryl to find her or go straight to his campsite. She didn't want him to have an excuse to leave her behind. She saw movement from across the field as Daryl unzipped his tent and exited, stretching his limbs after being in a cramped space. Ellen decided it was now or never, and she made straight for Daryl.

Ellen stomped across the field in her boots, avoiding the clumps of weed that might cause her to stumble. Daryl was putting on his leather vest over his sleeveless shirt when she approached his campsite. "That's pretty cool," were Ellen's first words to him.

Daryl spun around to face her with narrowed eyes. "The hell you talkin' about?"

Ellen pointed towards his torso, "Your vest- its wings. A bit ironic, don't you think?"

"How's that?" Daryl obliged her as he grabbed his crossbow.

Ellen shrugged, "It's rather angelic."

Daryl huffed back, "Whatever."

Ellen stood off to the side of Daryl's campsite, never really approaching him as he gathered his crossbow. He swung the strap over his head, allowing the weapon to rest against his back where it was easily accessible. "Alright, girl. What you need?"

Ellen was caught off guard, not understanding his meaning. "What do you mean?"

"Weapon wise. You packin'?" Daryl asked.

Ellen raised her eyebrows, "No, don't have any of that back at the house."

"Sittin' a little too pretty, maybe?" Daryl answered. He motioned for Ellen to come forward with a slight wave of his hand.

Ellen took a second to register that he had just beckoned her forward. She jumped into a quick few steps, closing much of the distance between them, eager to please. Daryl's mouth set into a thin line seeing her quick response to his simple gesture. "You need to calm down, I ain't gonna bite you. It's the walkers that you best be afraid of."

Ellen didn't respond, not knowing what to say to him. Daryl looked her up and down, assessing her attire. He motioned towards her boots, "Those comfortable?"

"Yes, I'll be fine."

Daryl met her eyes, "Can't have you hobblin' about. I'm not carrying you back."

Ellen could only nod. He wasn't exactly delicate with his words.

Daryl grabbed a duffle bag from near his tent and began searching its contents. He pulled out what Ellen considered to be a rather large pocketknife. Daryl held the object out to her with an outstretched arm. Ellen took it from him. "You hold onto that," Daryl instructed.

He then returned to the bag, sifting around for more weapons. Daryl's next weapon of choice was a silver pistol, which he handed over to Ellen. "Ever shot one?"

"Never," Ellen looked at the pistol, a little breathless at the thought of firing it.

"Keep it anyways. You'll get better after the classes Rick's been talking about startin'. You're gonna need it."

A moment of silence passed as Ellen stared down at the pistol he had just given her. "These too," Daryl stated as he handed her an extra round of bullets from inside his duffle. Ellen allowed the concern and fear in her eyes to show as she met Daryl's steel gaze.

Daryl broke eye contact with her to look out over the field to his group's RV. "We'll check in with Rick before we leave. Make sure he's still ok with this."

Ellen didn't argue. She followed as Daryl brushed past her towards the open field, "You ready?"

Ellen nodded and kept moving. She was as ready as she would ever be.

TWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWD

Rick approved Daryl to go out looking for the missing girl, Sophia, with Ellen in tow. He wished Ellen luck and sent them on their way. Ellen followed Daryl away from the group's campsite and out over the field toward the small stream that lied at the edge of the property. She had never been this far from the safety of the farmhouse before- not since before the world was overrun.

Daryl lead her past the stream and further out towards the woods. He spoke in a hushed tone, turning his eyes toward her, "You stay close, ya hear? Don't use that gun unless you have no other choice. The sound brings them crawlin'. Stick with the knife."

Ellen answered, "Knife, got it."

Daryl kept walking forward as he asked her, "You know how to kill a walker?"

She raised her eyebrows, "Is that what you call them?"

"Biters, geeks, walkers…"Daryl listed a few, "You make sure to aim for the brain."

They kept moving, finally getting into the thicker areas of the forest. Leaving the farm behind was disconcerting for Ellen. Could she really trust Daryl to keep her safe in this unfamiliar setting?

Daryl surprised her with his delicate instructions, "Make sure you pay attention to where I lead you."

Ellen sent a concerned look his direction, "What for?"

"Never know if you'll have to get back on your own," Daryl's words hung in the air between them.

They continued to push through the forest. At first Ellen was thrown off by Daryl's quiet hand gestures, but she picked up their meanings quickly: stop, stay behind, go forward, left, right, go ahead. He kept to hand signals for much of their time in the woods. When he picked up an unfamiliar sound, he would gesture for her to stop and get behind him. So far they hadn't come across anything life threatening.

Daryl kept his eyes focused in front of him, taking in everything from the ground to their surroundings. At one point he kneeled down to look at the dirt and broken leaves before him. Ellen was confused as to why he would stare at the dirt for more than two seconds. But then he would suddenly stand up from his crouched position and motion for her to follow in another direction, continuing to watch the forest floor beneath him.

Ellen caught on after a few minutes of this, "You can track?"

Daryl answered her with a quiet roughness, "Well ain't you a peach. Figured that out all on your own?"

Ellen didn't answer him. She let silence fall once more between them as they kept moving. Daryl led her towards a clearing past a collection of trees. He stopped to scan the area for danger. Ellen immediately noticed the run down house in the center of the clearing. Daryl grabbed an arrow with his right hand, crossbow in the left, before heading out into the clearing. Ellen followed close behind.

Daryl approached the house with caution, loading his crossbow before reaching the entrance to the house. He looked to Ellen and nodded, checking to see that she was prepared.

Then Daryl kicked the door of the house open. When nothing happened, Daryl started inching forward into the house. Ellen pulled out her pocketknife, pinching it open as she followed Daryl inside. Their steps caused the wood to creak horrendously. Ellen could have sworn it was the loudest sound she had heard all morning.

Daryl led the way with his crossbow, swerving to the left as he checked the first room. Once he knew it was clear, he moved on down the hall. He checked each room on the lower level in this fashion, until he came to the end of the hall. He entered this room, looking around at its contents. Ellen was close by. She watched as Daryl picked up an open can of tuna. He brought it to his nose, then let the extra contents of the can spill out onto the floor. Daryl's attention was diverted to a slightly open cupboard at the other end of the room. He inched towards it slowly, crossbow trained on the door. He opened the cupboard quickly, and seeing nothing but old cans, let his crossbow fall to his side. At the bottom of the cupboard was a blanket and cushion. It looked as though someone had hidden themselves inside.

Declaring the house clear, he motioned for Ellen to follow him back out to the front entrance. Ellen nearly jumped when Daryl suddenly called out, "Sophia!"

He rounded about to the other end of the house, looking around the corner briefly. Calling again, he turned back to clearing, "Sophia!"

Ellen stayed quiet, letting Daryl do the shouting for her. She didn't feel comfortable enough to add extra noise on their hunt.

Walking towards the edge of the clearing, Daryl crouch down to face a set of white flowers. He picked one of the flowers with surprising gentleness, holding it in left hand. His explanation to Ellen was, "Carol should see this."

Carol was Sophia's mother.

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As they headed back through the forest towards the farm, Daryl continued to direct Ellen with silent hand gestures and simple looks. Ellen was caught off guard when he suddenly stopped in front of her, holding his hand up for her to do the same. Daryl crouched down and Ellen did the same. Scanning the area, Ellen couldn't see what it was Daryl had stopped for and that made her all the more uneasy.

Standing back up, Daryl moved forward to lean against a tree. Sticking his crossbow out past the tree, he scanned the area beyond the cover of the tree. Ellen stuck close behind Daryl, crouching on the ground near him to make herself as small as possible. Her pocketknife was retracted and ready at her side.

Daryl didn't say anything, just brought his hand down to Ellen's line of vision. He held out two fingers for her to see.

Two walkers.

Daryl brought his hand up to point at his head.

Brain.

Ellen nodded and took in a steady breath, clutching her pocketknife.

Daryl made a move to shuffle past the tree, motioning for Ellen to follow behind him. Her eyes focused in on the two walkers Daryl had indicated. One was small and female, the other a tall and gangly male. They were feasting on a dead deer that had fallen prey to a hunter's gun.

The female walker noticed them first. It grunted and made to move towards them. Daryl took her down with one clean shot of his crossbow. The arrow had penetrated her skull.

The other walker looked around curiously when his companion fell to ground.

Daryl motioned towards the creature, "Have at it, Peaches."

"What?!" Ellen could have cried at the thought.

"I'll shoot him if you can't handle it. Just go for his head."

The walker spun around slowly, facing Daryl and Ellen with jowls full of deer meat. He opened his mouth to reveal a combination of uneaten deer and blood, letting out a throaty snarl.

Ellen gripped her pocketknife hard, preparing to take charge of the situation. She didn't wait for Daryl to instruct her again. She sidestepped past Daryl and his crossbow to face the walker.

Daryl stepped to her side so he could get a clear shot at the walker, should she need it.

The walker stretched out its long arms towards Ellen, beckoning her forward with a moan. As soon as the walker stepped forward once, Ellen made herself charge forward. She met the walker head on, and it's hands were on her. Ellen pushed the walker with all of her might, sending them both toppling to the ground. It grabbed at her clothing, seeking the flesh beneath them. The walker's teeth gnashed at the space between itself and Ellen.

Seeing she had little to no control of the situation, Daryl took his shot. One second the walker was rabidly reaching for Ellen with it's teeth, and the next it laid limply on the ground beneath her.

"The fuck was that?!" Daryl charged towards Ellen with purpose. He grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet. "I didn't tell you to go tackling shit! Good Lord! Don't you know nothin'?"

Ellen was a bit dazed from the whole situation, allowing it to sink in quickly. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Daryl let her arm go, freeing her from his grasp. "And that was the best tactic you could come up with?!"

Daryl looked her over quickly, grabbing her arms and turning them about with his large hands. He then lifted the hem of her tank top to look at her abdomen, letting it fall when he was satisfied she had not been scratched. Ellen didn't even protest. He had just saved her life and she wasn't about to cross him.

He huffed aggressively as he moved away from her, "Next time I'll kill the walker! You just sit back and watch."

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They made it back to the farm without further incident. Daryl walked her to the front of the house. Once there, he turned to face Ellen. He let his gaze sweep her up and down, observing her shaken appearance. Daryl spoke, "You let the others do the cookin' today. You've had enough."

Ellen met his gaze slowly, and he continued, "You rest up. We'll go back out soon. And this time we'll be smart about it."

Ellen nodded in acknowledgement.

Daryl's last words to her were, "No more tackling shit."


	3. Chapter 3: Look After You

**Chapter 3: **_Look After You_

**Blurb: **The disclaimer still applies. A big thank you to **VampWolf92** for reviewing! & thanks to all those that favorited/followed my story. I love you for it. :)) This chapter is named after Look After You by The Fray. Enjoy!

Ellen was sitting in Carl's room the next morning when Rick came in to call her. "I'm about to start a meeting up. Seeing as you're part of the search party too, you might as well come."

Ellen smiled thankfully and turned to look at the sleeping boy before following Rick out. "Has Carl been awake since the seizure?"

Rick looked back at Ellen, "Last night, he was wide awake for me."

"That's great! He'll be back on his feet in no time."

The pair exited the house, making their way toward the group campsite. Ellen observed how Rick walked with a sureness and purpose she painfully lacked. As soon as he entered the camping area, the others in the group recognized Rick needed them. He was the clear authority for each of them.

"Morning, guys. Let's get going. We've got a lot of ground to cover," Rick placed the map that they had used a few days ago for viewing the terrain around the farm on the hood of the station wagon once again. Ellen took her place to Rick's left side while others from the group joined them around the hood of the car.

Rick continued, "We're all getting new search grids today. She made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl found. She might have gone further east than we've thought."

Jimmy interrupted, "I'd like to help. I know the area pretty well."

Rick turned towards Jimmy, "Hershel's ok with this?"

"Yeah, yeah. He said I should ask you."

Ellen doubted it. Hershel was very protective of his family. Ellen tried not to think about how he had let her go out in the woods with little argument. Maybe he had a change of heart.

"Alright, then. Thanks," Rick answered Jimmy.

Ellen let her eyes fall to the map as Rick accepted Jimmy's help. Daryl had approached the meeting with the others, and he was currently pulling his arms through the sleeves of a flannel shirt.

Shane cut in, "Nothin' about what Daryl found screams 'Sophia' to me. Anyone could have been holed up in that farmhouse."

The blonde, Andrea, countered back, "Anybody includes her, right?"

Daryl spoke next, "Well, whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than yay high." He held his hand down low near his waistline, indicating the size he believed the person to be.

"Good lead," Andrea praised him.

"Maybe we'll pick up her trail again," Rick answered.

Daryl brought his hand out over the map to indicate a grid of land, "No maybe about it. I'm gonna borrow a horse- head up to this ridge right here. Get a birds eye view of the whole grid. If she's up there, I'll spot her."

"Good idea," T-Dog approved. "Maybe you'll see El Chupacabra up there too."

"Chupacabra?" Rick asked in disbelief.

Dale cut in, "What? You've never heard this? The first night in camp, Daryl tells us how this all reminds him of the time he went squirrel hunting and he saw El Chupacabra."

Jimmy let out a short chuckle.

"What you braggin' at, jackass?" Daryl addressed Jimmy.

Rick defended him, "So you believe in a bloodsucking dog?"

"You believe in dead people walkin' around?" Daryl answered cheekily. Ellen let out a small laugh, winning a look of approval from Daryl.

Jimmy let the conversation go, reaching out to grab the rifle that sat on the hood of the car. Rick stopped him, grabbing the gun, "Woah, you ever fired one before?"

"Well, if I'm going out I want one."

Daryl countered back, swinging his crossbow over his shoulder, "People in hell want slurpees."

"You should come train tomorrow. It appears I'm the certified instructor," Shane invited Jimmy and turned his eyes to Ellen, "You too. Now that you're out there with Daryl, could use a few shots outta you."

Ellen nodded, "I'll be there."

Andrea turned to look toward Jimmy, then back at Shane, "For now he can come with us."

"He's yours to babysit, then," Shane let it slide.

Ellen turned to Rick, "I'll go check in with Daryl."

Rick approved her leave and went back to addressing the rest of the group. Ellen walked away from them, heading towards the stables. Daryl had mentioned a horse before leaving the group.

Upon reaching the stables, Ellen noticed Daryl at the far end of the building. He had a saddle in his arms as he approached a stall to the right. Ellen approached as he got the saddle up on the horse. She asked, "You know how to saddle her right?"

Daryl huffed, "You just pull these straps and buckle it tight." He let the straps hang a bit to loosely around the animal. Having spent a lot of time on the farm with Maggie, it was obvious to Ellen that he didn't have a clue.

Ellen smiled and shook her head, "Here, let me."

After securing the saddle with gentle hands, she took the bit and brought it to the horse's mouth. Once everything was in it's rightful place, she looked back at Daryl. He had been watching her interact with the animal. Ellen stated, "I'm going with you."

Daryl let a smirk slide over his features, "Not today you ain't."

"Why not? It's better if we go in pairs," Ellen pleaded.

"That's what the horse is for. Plus, she doesn't tackle shit like an MMA fighter."

Ellen looked hurt, "I told you I wouldn't do that again."

Daryl's eyes met hers and his voice became less gruff, "Yeah, I know. I'll take you out later- just not today. If you can't fight walkers on your feet then you definitely can't fight them on a horse."

Ellen let her hand brush the horse's neck as she dropped it to her side. She motioned towards the horse in defeat, "Her name's Nelly. She'll behave, just as long as you don't spook her."

Ellen turned on her heel to exit the stall. Daryl stopped her with a few final words, "Hey, Ellen. Thanks…for saddling 'er."

Ellen looked back at Daryl with a small smile, "I expect you both back here in one piece."

With that said, she left Daryl behind in the stable.

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Ellen returned to the farmhouse. Letting Daryl leave on his own was stupid- she knew it. But he wouldn't have her out there with him. The best she could do was keep herself busy until he came back.

Her opportunity came when Lori asked if it would be ok to use the kitchen for a group meal. Ellen smiled, "I'll ask Maggie to just to be sure, but it should be fine. Do you mind if I help out? I'm spending the day here and I don't have anything more important to do."

Lori agreed, and Ellen went to ask Maggie about the kitchen. Maggie was overly excited about the idea of a real home cooked meal. Ellen went out to the front of the house to yell for Lori. Lori heard her calling from the porch and retrieved Carol from her work hanging laundry. They all met up in the kitchen.

Ellen made herself busy chopping, stirring, and boiling whatever Carol or Lori instructed. It was a welcome distraction from the fact that Daryl had left her behind today.

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Ellen was scooping out batter into muffin tins when she heard someone yelling outside. From her position near the sink, she was able to draw the curtains back and look out in an attempt to locate the source of the noise.

Ellen's heart began racing when she heard the crack of gunfire. She immediately dropped what she had been doing with the bowl of muffin mix, letting it fall onto the counter with an unceremonious bang. Turning on her heels, she rushed from the kitchen and out to the porch.

From the front of the house, she could tell there was a group of men- Rick, Shane, Glenn and T-Dog- at the end of the clearing across the field. Ellen's ears were met with the distant cries of Rick, "No! No! No!"

Ellen ran.

She could hear Hershel shouting behind her, demanding an explanation. Lori's voice called out for Rick with an urgency that fueled Ellen's panic. As the others stopped near the camp behind her, Ellen kept running across the field to reach the group of men.

Dale and Andrea were already there when Ellen noticed that Rick and Shane were holding a body between them. Andrea called, "Oh my God, is he dead?"

Ellen couldn't hear Rick's reply over her pounding heartbeat. She just kept running.

As she got closer, she heard Glenn point out, "Look at him! What the hell happened? He's wearing ears."

Ellen didn't register what Rick said next. Her eyes fell on the man between Rick and Shane. He was so dirty that he could have fooled Ellen for a walker, but she soon recognized that it was Daryl. Ellen stopped in her tracks, watching as the group moved in her direction.

Scanning Daryl from head to toe, she knew he was unconscious. Then it hit her- the gunshot. Ellen's face contorted as she brought her hand to her mouth, sucking in a harsh breath. Then the fury boiled, "You SHOT HIM?!"

Rushing forward again, Ellen met the group head on. Andrea looked to her with regret, "I am so sorry. I didn't know!"

"Why the HELL would you shoot him if the others were already out here?!" Ellen asked.

Rick replied for Andrea, "Let it go, Ellen."

Shane let a chuckle slip, "You've got quite the fire holed up in there."

Ellen let her hands fall as she walked quickly to keep ahead of the group. She huffed out a frustrated breath.

T-Dog interrupted the group's progress toward the house, "Guys! Isn't this Sophia's." He held up a dirty rag doll with one outstretched arm.

The group stopped. Ellen turned to face T-Dog along with the others.

Daryl brought back solid evidence that Sophia could be alive.

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Ellen instructed Shane and Rick to put Daryl in a spare room upstairs. Hershel was at Daryl's bedside before Ellen could call for him. Ellen was in somewhat of a daze. Daryl had gone out all on his own- without her. Could she have prevented this?

Hershel broke Ellen from her spiraling thoughts, "Ellen, go get clean water and washcloths. I'm going to need to stitch him up, so grab the sterile needle and anything else we'll need."

Ellen nodded vigorously, leaving the room to grab the necessary tools. She grabbed them quickly, returning to find Hershel had already cut Daryl's tattered shirt so he could get to the wounds.

Ellen wrung out a washcloth she had left in a bowl of warm water. She set to work cleaning the dirt and grime from around the gash on Daryl's abdomen. Daryl seemed to stir from his unconsciousness as the wet cloth touched his skin. He opened his eyes slightly. As Ellen came into focus for him, Daryl was confused, "The hell you doin', Peaches?"

Ellen brought her left hand up to Daryl's face, cooing words of comfort, "Shh, don't worry. We're going to fix you back up."

Hershel addressed Ellen, "Help me turn him. I think it runs through to the other side."

Ellen moved her hands to steady Daryl as Hershel turned him to face Ellen. Daryl growled low when they made the necessary movements to turn his body. "Hurts- dammit!"

Hershel spoke, "Yep, goes clean through to his back. You get shot by an arrow, son?"

Daryl was awake enough to respond, "Fell on it."

Ellen helped Daryl move his right arm so he could prop his head up on it while they worked. He watched as she grabbed another wet cloth and leaned over to reach his back. Ellen noticed as she removed the grime from around his wound, long white lines appeared on Daryl's skin. Hesitating, Ellen realized what they were immediately. After having experience in the hospital, she could easily recognize the scarred slashes. It was a common mark of child abuse in Ellen's line of work.

Keeping her face unreadable, Ellen put the cloth back into the bowl of water. Hershel indicated to her that he needed something to sterilize the wound. Keeping her focus on the task at hand, she helped by getting Hershel's needle threaded and handing him the alcohol.

Once Hershel had started working the needle through Daryl's skin, Ellen went to work wiping away the blood on Daryl's head. Andrea's bullet had grazed Daryl's head, leaving a clean scrape. Ellen determined it wouldn't need stitches, informing Hershel. She doused a 4x4 dressing in alcohol and ran it over the gash.

Daryl followed her with his eyes as she worked. Ellen was sure he was trying to read something from her body language. Grabbing another set of dressing, Ellen placed it over Daryl's wound carefully. She broke the silence, "How do you feel about having the bandage wrapped around your head? I have to keep it in place somehow, and tape won't feel great on your hair."

Daryl just grunted in reply, so Ellen set to work. She wiped away most of the dirt from his face and hair with another wet cloth. Daryl let her. Grabbing the extra dressing, she began wrapping his head to keep the gauze in place. This required a bit of adjusting for Ellen, she had to reach around Daryl to grab the dressing from her other hand.

Rick entered the room just as Ellen finished securing the dressing on Daryl's head. Hershel was still stitching the arrow wound.

Seeing Daryl was awake, Rick took the moment to ask, "Mind showing me where you found that doll?"

Ellen moved so Rick could spread the familiar map out on the bed in front of Daryl. Daryl pointed out a specific grid, "Found it washed out on a creek bed right there. She must have dropped it across there somewhere."

"Cuts the grid almost in half," Rick answered.

"You're welcome," Daryl shot back harshly.

Rick asked Hershel, "How's he lookin'?"

"I had no idea we'd be going through the antibiotics so quickly. Any idea what happened to my horse?" Hershel asked Daryl.

"Yeah, the one that almost killed me? If it's smart, it left the country!"

"We call that one Nelly, as in Nervous Nelly. I could have told you she'd throw you if you bothered to ask," was Hershel's reply. He walked towards Rick, "It's a wonder you people have survived this long."

Daryl didn't make a snide remark in protest. He just laid back on his pillow and let the others talk. Shane and Rick decided it was time to leave; they stepped out into the hall.

Had Daryl been a regular patient in the hospital, she would have made sure he was cleaned up by now. However, knowing his personality, Ellen realized he wouldn't let her wipe any more of the grime off than she needed to. So she left the room to fill the bowl with warmer, cleaner water and to retrieve extra washcloths. Having gotten the bowl ready, she returned to Daryl's room. Hershel had already left, so Daryl was left to entertain himself.

Ellen placed the bowl of water on the nightstand near Daryl's bed. Motioning towards the washcloths, Ellen explained, "Thought you might want to clean up a bit."

Daryl watched her curiously as she continued, "I'll go get you some water. You're probably really thirsty."

Daryl didn't reply, so she left the room again to get water from the kitchen.

Carol was in the kitchen preparing the last bits of the group meal. "How's he doing?"

"He'll live. Do you need help with this? I can come down in a bit."

"No, you stay with Daryl. He needs you. I'll get you when food is ready," Carol answered.

Ellen smiled softly, leaving Carol to her work. She returned to Daryl's room, finding a washcloth in his hand as he rubbed dirt off his arms. "Don't let your dressings get wet. We'll have to change them if you do."

Daryl grunted, but didn't say anything. Ellen placed the glass of water next to the bowl on the nightstand. Ellen took the opportunity to sit down in a chair near his bed.

Daryl narrowed his eyes in Ellen's direction, barking at her suddenly, "Mind giving a guy some privacy?"

Ellen let it slide. She didn't want to argue with him, not after today. She quietly stood up and made her way out the door, shutting it softly behind her. She sat down on the floor in the hall outside his door, just incase he needed something and called out.

Daryl was left to question her passive behavior alone. He knew that he had been too harsh on her. Ellen didn't deserve the crap he dished out.

Carol came up the stairs to check on Ellen soon after. She told Ellen food was ready. Ellen followed Carol back down the stairs, joining Maggie at the small table that had been separated from the main one. It was like being at the kid's table in elementary school: just her, Maggie, Glenn, Jimmy, and Beth.

What followed was the most awkward meal she had ever experienced. The only one brave enough to break the silence was Glenn. He was shut down by a comment about Otis, which hung heavily over everyone the rest of the meal.

Ellen ate quickly. She knew Daryl would be hungry, and he needed someone to bring food up to him. When she was done eating, Ellen excused herself and cleaned her dishes. Grabbing an extra set of dishware, she began loading the plate with each dish on the main table. When Rick asked if she was super hungry, see her overflowing plate, Ellen responded, "It's for Daryl."

Grabbing an extra bun and smearing it with strawberry jelly, Ellen finished preparing the plate. Carol interrupted her work, "I'll bring it up for him, Ellen. You sit down and finish."

Ellen was a bit upset that Carol had taken over her duty after all she had just prepared for Daryl; but she let Carol take the plate from her anyway. Daryl was not just hers to take care of. But she did feel responsible. Daryl had left her behind, and she wasn't there when he needed her. He'd gotten himself into a lot of trouble on his own, and she should have been there. If she had known the horse was nicknamed 'Nervous Nelly' and not just 'Nelly" she could have prevented the whole incident. Instead she let him go, on the back of a skittish animal.

Taking her seat back at the small table next to Maggie, she couldn't help but ruminate in her feelings of guilt and regret over Daryl's current state.

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Pie was served soon after Carol left the dining room. Ellen decided it would be best to bring two plates up to Daryl's room, one for each of them. Heading up the stairs with the desserts, Ellen saw Carol exiting Daryl's room. "Pie already? Daryl will like that."

Ellen nodded, "How is he doing?"

"He's awake. Just be gentle with him. He may be a bit prickly, but he has a good center."

Carol passed Ellen and headed down to the first floor, leaving Ellen to open the door to Daryl's room with two full plates in her hands. Using her elbow, Ellen pushed the doorknob downwards so that it would unlatch. She then pushed the wooden door open slowly and peered inside. Daryl was on his side with the white bed sheet pulled up over his shoulders.

"I brought pie."

Daryl looked over his shoulder at her, "What kind?"

"Pumpkin." Ellen noted Daryl's untouched plate of food. "You need to eat some real food before I hand it over, though."

Daryl grumbled something inaudible as Ellen made herself comfortable in the wooden chair near him. She set his pie down on the floor near her chair. Motioning to his plate of food, Ellen insisted, "No food, no pie."

Daryl turned in the bed slightly so he could grab the plate of food, grunting a little with each adjustment to his torso. Grabbing the plate with his left hand, he set it down on the bed at his waist. Then, Daryl propped himself up with his elbows as he tried to push himself upwards in bed. "Let me help you," Ellen said as she put her plate down in her now empty seat.

She was at his side in seconds but Daryl wouldn't have it, "No, you've done enough." His voice wasn't as gruff as his words seemed. It was almost as if Daryl truly meant what he said. She had been there for him for almost as long as he had been conscious. He didn't want her doting over him like she had Carl. He was fine.

Ellen let him push himself upwards in the bed; but once he was in position, he didn't have anything to lean on. Ellen rushed to place extra pillows behind his back, and he sat back with a sigh. He looked Ellen over, "Told ya not to do anything."

Ellen only shrugged and handed him the plate that had been sitting on his bed. Daryl accepted it from her. Using the fork in his right hand, he sifted the contents of his plate around over the surface, "This what you did all day?"

Knowing Daryl was asking about the food, Ellen replied, "I was in the kitchen when you came out of the forest like one of those creatures."

"Walker?" Daryl laughed, "Must have looked pretty bad."

Ellen couldn't hide the concern from her features. Daryl searched her eyes, "Hey, now. Don't go getting your panties in a bunch. Ain't got nothin' to do with you."

Ellen shook her head, "I'm so sorry, Daryl. I should have made you take me along. I should have known about Nelly. I-."

"Hold up there. _I _told ya not to come along. Nothin' you could have done anyway."

Ellen wasn't satisfied, "It was up to me to be your backup, and I wasn't there for you."

Daryl huffed out a long breath, "Alright, if you feel that bad. I won't leave you behind again."

Ellen met his gaze for a second before he broke their contact, choosing instead to focus on his plate of food. Ellen didn't look away from his face, "You promise?"

Daryl stopped pushing the food around on his plate, "Yeah, Ellen. I promise. Now eat your damn pie."


End file.
